Ever After
by thisiswhatever
Summary: A modern young women named Aerith is independent and wise as she is beautiful and kind. After a tragic accident and the death of her father she is stuck with her evil stepmother and her two daughters, They treat her like her slave and command her one day
1. Chapter I

Ever After...

once upon a time...

A modern young women named Aerith is independent and wise as she is beautiful and kind. After a tragic accident and the death of her father she is stuck with her evil stepmother and her two daughters, They treat her like her slave and command her one day on the job she meets a man that will change her life. Realizing it is Cloud Strife the man her older sister Tifa pined for she is dumbstruck. After meeting eachother in strange ways they begin to grow a passion for one another. Against all odds she stands up to her scheming stepmother and works miracles on the lives of everyone around her including Cloud.

(Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Yuffie, Zach)

Aerith was awoken by the screams of her stepsister Tifa screaming for her. Aerith rolls out of bed and rushes down the hall to her room. Aerith enters gasping for air when Tifa points toward her curtains indicating her to open them. She opens the curtains to let the sun hit her face and warm her smooth skin. Aerith is running down the stairs when she bumps into her other stepsister Yuffie. "Oh I am so sorry Yuffie" Aerith says bowing her head in shame. Yuffie picks her up and tells her to be careful next time because she might fall down the stairs and hurt herself and to also watch were she was going daydreaming while walking down the stairs can be dangerous."

Aerith giggles somewhat relieved that Yuffie was nice to her not like her stepmother and stepsister. Aerith quickly got breakfast ready when she heard her stepmother's footsteps coming down the stairs. Ami was very mean to Aerith because she wasn't her real daughter. Ami handed Aerith a list of chores to do. That was her life everyday she would hand her a bunch of chores and she would have to do them. Later that night Aerith couldn't sleep she got up and walked over to her father's picture. She runs her hand down the frame stroking the smooth wood tears building in her eyes.

FLASHBACK

"Okay honey I will only be gone for a little while" Aerith's dad says hugging her tightly. He was going off to fight Shinra. Aerith knew she shouldn't cry but her dad's health was getting worse by the day. He made her promise that she will take care of her stepmother and her 2 stepsisters. 3 weeks later the 6 year sees troops walking up her dirt road. She runs outside to greet her father she saw many faces pass by looking sad until she didn't see her dad. Finally this cart was being pulled with a man lying down on it. Her father died during battle. Her stepmother was furious she was throwing and breaking everything around her. She looks up at Aerith who is sitting across the table sobbing uncontrollably. She walks around the table, grabs Aerith by her hair and yells at her, "THIS IS YOUR FAULT YOUR FATHER MY HUSBAND IS DEAD. You are not my daughter and you never will you be. I will not accept you as my own you are nothing more then a servant to me now" she slaps Aerith and tosses her limp body down and storms out of the room.

END OF FLASHBACK


	2. Chapter 2

Aerith places her hand to her cheek, "maybe she is right my father's death is my fault I should have stopped him I don't deserve to be in this family." She looks over to her cat who is looking at the Soldier building. She strokes her cats fur looking out at the freedom she will never have.

Meanwhile at Soldier the recruits are having a meeting they are going to discuss news on the top soldier Cloud. He is the best Soldier they got he comes out a winner in every mission and the ladies love him, he is also a great model of other boys to join Soldier. Cloud cannot ride his motorcycle without being chased by a sworn of girls. Soldier put him in his own little room with countless luxurious. Cloud had everything every Soldier dreamed about but why was he not satisfied?

Cloud yearned for adventure he wanted to stroll around and outside Midgar without having a mission to do. Cloud sat in his room plotting his escape plan. The next morning Aerith awakes early to find the two other servants whom work with her are up making breakfast. They don't talk much but Aerith is fond of them. They work real hard because there used to be another servant who worked with them. Ami thought he was slacking off and sold him to be sent off to another city so they don't the same fate as the companion.

Aerith smiled as she opened the back door to reveal the sun which was rising behind the mountains. She could smell the fresh air in which she enjoyed. She didn't get to go out often only when her chores were done which was rarely since her stepmother made her work all day and the other time is when she goes to the market to sell the ripe apples growing in the backyard or to buy groceries. The apple trees were her mother's and her project. They planted it before she died and Aerith hated to see that her stepmother was telling her to sell these lovely apples but she dare not defy her stepmother.

She walks over to the tree to see how luscious the apples have grown and begins to pick them. She is distracted by a loud sound coming toward her she turns around to see a motorcycle turn the corner. She is startled and losses her balance from the tree branch and falls in front of the motorcyclist path. The driver was looking back and didn't see the girl in his path. He looks forward to see the 20 year standing in front of him dusting off her dress. He swerves out of the way sending his bike one direction and him the other.

Aerith panics thinking it was Soldier chasing a thief who just stole something. She picks up and apple and throws it at the lifeless body as hard as she could. Cloud felt a sharp pain hit his back bring consciousness back to him. He gets up just to be hit by another apple. Aerith keeps throwing apples at the man unable to get a good look at his face. Cloud yells, "Lady will you stop it." Aerith drops her apples when she sees the Soldier first class outfit. She drops to her knees realizing it was the great Cloud Strife.

She overheard Tifa talking about him and even framed his picture on her wall. Aerith begin to plead, "I am so sorry Cloud I didn't recognize you it was you I thought you were some thief please forgive me and spare me." Cloud looks down to see her dress ripped and dirt all over her he knows right away she is servant, "Never mind that how about an apple and ouch you really have a good arm" he picks up his motorcycle and grabs the apple from Aerith's hand and hands her a coin before jumping on his bike and riding off.

Aerith walks back to the house with the apples. Akko one of the servants grabbed them and was off to sell the apples at the market before she leaves she tells Aerith that the servant that was sold off to work in another city are leaving today. Ami, Yuffie, and Tifa were already gone for the day to go do there daily routines. Aerith rushes to her room and opens the little drawer to reveal a sack of coins. She then walks over to closet which hasn't been open in years she forces the door open which send a cloud of dust into the air. The door slowly opens making a squeaking sound to reveal a row of lovely dresses. She takes out a fancy yellow one. She dusts it off and puts it on.

After zipping up the dress she heard something hit her window. She walks over to see her childhood friend Kadaj waving at her. She motions him to come he enters her room just to burst into laughter, "what are you trying to do act like your stepmother and her 2 daughters?" Aerith places her hand on her hips and says, "No I am going to the market to buy back Tenchi. Akko, Hina and myself miss him. Now will you help me do my hair?" Kadaj doesn't argue and braid back her long chestnut hair.

Aerith leaves the house and takes a shortcut to the market hoping not to see anyone she knew. She arrives in front of a cart with a big cage filled with servants that were sold off. She sees about five of them inside the cage guilty that she could not save them all. She stands in front of the truck with her hand extended out. The man gets out of the truck and demands that she moves. Aerith refuses she lifts up the sack of money, "I am here to buy back my servant Tenchi." The man burst out in laughter and grabs his belly which was shaking with his laughter, "These worthless animals are not for sale missy NOW MOVE" the man yells.


	3. Chapter 3

Aerith stands her ground and does not give in "I have the money now release him." The man is getting angry he yells at Aerith. Everyone has stopped to see the commotion. Cloud pulls his motorcycle in front of the crowd. He doesn't know what is going on. We all know his escape didn't go as planned. He walks through the crowd where he sees this big man yelling at this women.

Aerith still refuses to leave without her friend. The man has totally lost his nerve when he lifts his hand to smack Aerith. She closes her eyes ready for the blow that never came. She opens her eyes to see that the angry man's hand is stopped by another person. Cloud lets go of his hand and says, "What is going on here that makes you want to hurt this woman?" The angry man bows his head to Cloud "Sir this women will not move and insist that she buy back her servant whom are not for sale." Cloud turns to face Aerith "Let him go" Cloud says still looking at Aerith trying to remember where he has seen her before. "But sir the..." the angry man debates. Cloud turns to him again."I said release him at once." The man does as he was told. Aerith quickly followed the man hoping Cloud would forget about her. Tenchi released and they both start to walk off. Cloud calls out to Aerith, "Wait hold on." Cloud runs over to Aerith and begins to say, "Weren't you that servant girl that threw apples at me but you are here now dressed like a queen what were you doing in rags? " Aerith knew she couldn't tell him the truth because he would just shun her away as another and Tenchi might be sent back. She begins to say, "Well I really like my servants so sometimes I like to dress up and help them out is there a problem with that?" Cloud nods and smiles at her enthusiasm. "What is your name?" Cloud ask Aerith. Aerith once again cant tell him the truth, "My name is Inflana Gainsborogh." Cloud nods and smiles at her again until he heard the generals voice. Sephiroth walks up to him and talks about his trip today he tell him he wants to speak with Cloud

(Let me refresh your memories Cloud is like the Prince of Midgar because of his heroism. Sephiroth adopted him and made him like his son. Cloud's mother died when he was young and the strongest most intelligent man adopts him and Cloud grew up around the Soldier building so this is due to his success and people of Midgar consider Sephiroth to be like a king)

Cloud nods and turns back to Aerith when he realizes she is gone. He reaches the building still thinking about Aerith. Aerith reaches home to show Akko and Hina that she has brought Tenchi home. She tells Kadaj how Cloud think she's some noble women and that she gave him his real mother's name. And also explains to him how Tifa and Yuffie can find his so attractive. Later that evening Ami, Yuffie, and Tifa arrive home. Tifa notices Tenchi home and say in a disgusted tone, "Didn't we get ride of him a while ago? What is he doing back here?" Ami turns to Aerith who is back in her regular clothes. "Well you see they were no longer selling them so they dropped him off." Ami raised her eye and walked away Aerith tended to their every needs and put them to bed.

Tifa couldn't sleep she kept dreaming about Cloud. She dreamt about her and Cloud were getting married. "Aerith...Aerith what the hell is taking you so long AERITH" Tifa yells waking up Yuffie. "Can you shout any louder geez give her sometime she comes from the attic" Yuffie says placing herself next to Tifa. Tifa gives her an evil look, "Shut up and I don't care you can wait for her all you want but I wont and plus don't act all nice to her I mean do you want to be like her?" Tifa yells pushing Yuffie off her bed. Yuffie quickly answers "No but she is our stepsister and this used to be her house until we came. She is more the rightful owner then we are."

Tifa hissed at the sound of that, "Yes but she will never know that." Aerith rushed into the room. She picked out a dress for her sister and also for her mother. Her stepmother demanded that she come to the market with them and carry their groceries. Tifa and Yuffie were looking as some jewelery while mother was looking at fruit. Aerith was standing around holding the bad that her mother dropped fruit in. A women squealed yelling, "Oh my gosh it is Cloud ahhh." Cloud looks up to see Aerith he reaches out to wave to her but a swarm of girl surround him. Aerith realizes that she has been spotted and quickly ducks behind the stall and runs off home.

Cloud pushes through the girls and stands in front of the stall. He turns around to see Ami standing right in front of him. "Hello there Cloud I am Ami and these are my two daughter Tifa and Yuffie. Tifa is my oldest." Cloud looks at Tifa and smiles then looks around for Aerith "Uh oh hi Tifa did you happen to see that girl Inflana?" Tifa looks at confused, "No because I only saw you." Aerith quickly rushes home and tells her friends what had happened. She runs to her closest and puts on one of the lovely dresses. Cloud decides to stop by her house. Just when Cloud was about to leave Sephiroth showed up and apparently was fond of Tifa.


End file.
